Best Frenemies
by sweetvolcano
Summary: Everyone thinks Peeta is a tender soul, who falls hopelessly in love with Katniss. Let's reverse this shall we? It is modern day AU, and Katniss is trying to survive her last year of high school. It doesn't help that Peeta Mellark has been bullying her since forever and doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. Katniss fails to admit her slowing fading feelings for him. R&R :)
1. Chapter 1

BEST FRENEMIES: chapter one (In Which Partners Are Assigned)

The late bell rings and Katniss groans in response. The empty stares students send her through the windows of their classrooms make her feel even more self-conscious than she already is and she turned the corner. Katniss rushed into Mr. Nates, her social studies teacher's classroom and walked abruptly to her seat by the window. Before she got there, however, she felt her foot catch on something and the next thing she knew she was falling, and then crashing into the cold, unforgiving floor and landed at the shoes of none other than Peeta Mellark.

_I should've known._ Katniss thought. His red converses tap annoyingly in her face and he said, "I know you adore me Everdeen, but really? Are you desperate enough to fall at my feet?" He laughs at his own joke along with his jerk friends and Katniss pushes herself off the ground. Her lips tighten into a line and she heaved her bag over her shoulder. Her eyes flickered to Mr. Nates and she bit her tongue, holding back the nasty remarks she would've used to defend herself if he wasn't standing there, his eyes boring into the back of her head.

"Thank you, Mr. Mellark. Miss Everdeen, I hope you don't need me to show you to your seat." Mr. Nates looked at the pair of them through his spectacles, eyebrows raised and then turned around to the chalkboard. He continued, "Now that we've got that settled, I have come to the conclusion that you will be able to partner up with a fellow classmate for your final project-" he was interrupted by the class who broke into groups of whispering and hoots at the mention of partnership.

"-that I, and I alone, will chose." He ended with a satisfying smirk and the class immediately let out a few moans and exasperated sighs. Katniss hated partnering up with people because, one, she hated people, and two, people hated her. There was no nice way to put it. So, dreading the moment the teacher would call her name, she put her cheek on her desk and stared out the window. She did this often when Mr. Nates would get off topic and start talking about his family matters and children. He was what she would call an autobiography teacher, a teacher who teaches for about five minutes before turning the classroom into a time to share the results of his son's soccer game or wife's job reassignment. Then, she would look at her exam paper the next day and all she would think about was Mr. Nates' family problems.

"Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark" Both Peeta and Katniss looked up and they both started to speak at the same time, "Mr. Nates, I refuse to work with that _thing_." and "I don't think that's a good idea, Mr. Nates."

Mr. Nates responded, "Silence, both of you! I know you aren't the best of friends, but you're going to have to get along. It is getting to be a disturbance in the classroom. I think it might be best if both of you…bond?" Katniss rolled her eyes and Peeta dropped his forehead onto his desk and the class giggled.

The bell rings, signalizing the end of first period and everyone shuffles to their feet as Mr. Nates gives a final wave and announces, "Don't forget your partner everyone! The project is due next Friday!"

Katniss picks up her ratty knapsack and headed toward Peeta so she could schedule some timing for when to work on the project. _Better now than never_, she thought. Peeta, on the other hand, had no intent of talking to Katniss about…anything really, so when she came up to him, he walked away as if she was invisible. Katniss grimaced and fought to keep up. They both had English together anyways, how she knew that she didn't have a clue.

"Mellark." He ignored her and strode away.

"Peeta!" he stopped moving and waited for her to catch up, realizing she wasn't going to leave him alone.

"I-I just w-wanted to know i-if we were gonna, you know, like, work at my house or yours? O-or maybe you'd prefer the meadow-no wait, no computer in the meadow. I'm stupid. Umm." Katniss always had a crush on Peeta. Though she never admitted it to herself, she knew she did. Even with him bullying her and ignoring her, she still seemed attracted to him, and it bugged the hell out of her.

The corners of Peeta's lips curled up the slightest but then quickly formed into a scowl. "Look, Everdeen. I have no intention of letting you into my house and I would never enter that place that you call your home. So, I don't think we can make this work, alright?" he started to walk away again, but Katniss roughly grabbed him by the sleeve of his hoodie and pulled him back.

"Look Mellark." She mocked him, "we _can_ make this work. And I am_ going_ to make this work because, I, unlike you am not ready to give up my scholarship yet, alright? So, let's try again; my house or yours?" Peeta's nostrils flared but his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Mine."

"What time?"

"I'll meet you at your locker at the end of last period and drive us both to the bakery." And the conversation was over. Peeta turned around, at Katniss stared at his back as he left.

She was about to head to her own class but she froze and yelled "Peeta!"

He looked over his shoulder expectantly, eyebrows raised, frozen in place.

"You know my locker number?" Peeta simply smirked and replied, "I have my ways, Everdeen."

Just as Katniss made her way through the double doors, Peeta called out, "Hey, Everdeen!"

Katniss' hand halted on the banister and she gulped.

"What now?" he looked at her with an amused expression.

"What?" she repeated; irritated at his intimidating blue-eyed stare.

"Where are you going? English is this way." Katniss' eyes widened and she was sure her cheeks were turning ten shades of red.

She ducked her head and caught up with Peeta while he rolled his eyes and muttered something about women.

The rest of Katniss' classes went by like a breeze and she found Peeta leaning against her locker, just like he said he would. There was only one problem; his "friends" were with him.

Without a word to Peeta, she squeezed past him and opened her locker, shifting some books around and taking what was essential.

"Hey, Neverclean. Well, at least you look presentable today…sort of." Cato, the wrestling team captain greeted her.

Katniss didn't respond, she shut her locker…hard and glanced at Peeta, who was suppressing a smile at. It angered Katniss. What was happening? One minutes he's about to smile at her and walk her to English and the next he was insulting her along with _Cato_? Katniss walked away and saw Peeta jogging beside her in the corner of her eye.

"Hey, sorry about Cato. He shouldn't have said that stuff to you-" Katniss cut him off and said, "Well, you didn't exactly do anything to help the situation at all, did you?" Peeta's face turned to stone and said, "We're going to be late, let's just go and get this over with." The rest of their walk home was silent and awkward until they stopped outside the bakery. Mrs. Mellark stood, hand on her hips, her chest heaving, brows furrowed, and she grabbed Peeta by the collar.

"You worthless piece of junk!" she slapped him hard across the face. Peeta shut his eyes and Katniss brought hers to the floor, "You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago! Just because you've got a friend over does not give the excuse to be late, you understand me?"

Peeta cowered under her and let out a small, "Yes."

"Yes, what?" she practically growled in his ear.

"Yes, sir, I mean mom, I mean mother, I mean-" another slap to the cheek silenced Peeta.

"Peeta, how many times have I told you, you were no good?" her face shifted to one of fake kindness.

"Many, ma'am." Peeta hung his head which was only to be brought up by his mother gripping his hair and saying, "I was right about that, wasn't I?" her lips curled into a vicious sneer and gave Peeta a shake by grip she had on his downy curls.

"Yes, ma'am." She released her grip and pushed him to the floor.

"Another thing Peeta, you are not allowed to bring that trash in the house! We do not associate with garbage from the Seam." She looked pointedly at Katniss and continued, "Work in the back, by the pigs pen, if you have to."

Katniss was not bothered by Mrs. Mellark comments. Instead she bent down to Peeta and held out her hand. He stared at it for a second, pushed himself off the ground and dusted the dirt off his faded blue jeans without her help. She frowned at him and said, "Peeta?"

"What?" he was expecting her to say something about his mother, ask why she was so abusive, maybe offer help that he would refuse, something along those line but instead she said, "Wanna go to my place?"

He just nodded. Peeta received prying glances from people all over the Seam, the welt on his cheek drawing attention while Katniss just waved like she knew every single one of them. They were on the street Katniss lived on and she finally decided to break the silence.

"Peeta, she didn't have the right to treat you like that and I really am sorry-" Katniss apologized not only for his mother but also for how she treated him, how she ignored him all these years, how she was too much of a coward to admit her feelings for him, how he should deserve better…even for him.

"Well, you didn't exactly do anything to help the situation, did you?" he replied the same way she had to him when Cato had teased her. He saw the shocked and hurt face that she displayed and said, "Whatever, Katniss. Just-whatever."

She led him into the house, or hut, and called to him, "Peeta!"

He held his hands in surrender and took a step back, "Geez, I'm right here! I'm not gonna get lost walking into the house, no need to scream!"

"Peeta!" her excitement didn't die down just yet.

"Yeeeeessss…" he exaggerated the word.

"You called me Katniss!"

END OF CHAPTER ONE: In Which Partners Are Given


	2. Chapter 2

BEST FRENEMIES: chapter two (In Which A Challenge Is Excepted)

They stared at each other for a minute, two. His baby blues eyes were uncertain as they met her stormy, gray ones. They still stood there, barley in the house, with the sun setting just over the hill. A warm breeze shook Katniss to the core and she shivered. Peeta bit his bottom lip and said, "Katniss, I-I'm sorry." He let out a breath, took another in through the nose and gained a burst of courage as he continued, "I just-I'm really sorry for everything I've put you through. I don't know what's happened to me over the years. I know you remember that other guy; the chubby, five-year-old who would give you cookies and tell you your hair is pretty, well, it still is pretty, but that's not the point. I know you see me as the little boy who gave you that piece of bread during lunch when we were eleven and you were almost starving to death."

He recognized the shocked look on her face and he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yeah, I remember, okay? I remember everything about you. From the way your eyes sparkled when I gave you that dandelion in kindergarten, to the time you sang solo for our school musical in seventh grade. I remember every single thing about you! Heck, I probably know you better than you know yourself! I-I don't, I'm not that guy anymore. I don't know _how_ to be that guy anymore. Trust me, I've tried so hard to let Cato and those pathetic group of friends go, but I-I don't why, but I just _can't_. So forget the guy in with the crooked smile and spacey teeth, forget the guy who was nice and clam and-and. Just forget _me_, Katniss! I don't know how else to put it, just forget everything you once knew about me and leave me alone! There's nothing, and believe me when I say, there is absolutely _nothing_ you could ever do to change me, alright?"

Katniss blinked twice. She kept her eyes trained on Peeta and said, "Is that a challenge, Mellark?"

Peeta grit his teeth and fisted his hands. "Stop it, Katniss. I just told you. You cannot change me. There is-"

She cut him off, "-no way I can change you. Yeah, I know. You keep telling yourself that, Peeta. You say you've tried, but what does "tried" mean? Did you really stop taking to those idiots for at least a week and tried to make other friends at all? And if you say 'yes', so help me God. Let's suppose you did stop hanging out with them…do you know how much trouble it'd spare you? A lot! If you stopped being a jerk, Peeta Mellark, for more than two seconds you'd see that there are actually people who care about you, people who've been there for you, more times than you can count. Delly was one of your best friends! What happened? You called her fat during lunch and when she confronted you asking about the friendship that you guys had a long time ago you replied with, 'Stop being such a crybaby, Delly. Those days are over.' What the hell? I don't understand you, Peeta. If that's what you called 'tried', I don't even know what to say to you anymore!"

Now it was Peeta's turn to be silenced. He turned his back to her and said quietly, "We should get started on the project. It's already five and we haven't done anything yet."

Anger bubbled within Katniss and she screamed out, "NO. You are NOT going to stand there and tell ME that we should start the project when you, yourself, had no INTENTION of even doing it in the FIRST PLACE. I want an answer, Peeta Mellark. It that or is it not a challenge?"

Peeta covered his face in his hand and sank to his knees before Katniss, "What do you want from me? Fine! _Fine_, it is a challenge. By the end of this week, when the project is due, if you can somehow 'change' me, then I'll give you free cheese buns for the rest of the year. Alright? Are you happy now? Can we start the project before I have to go home?"

Katniss gave him a winning smile and replied with a simple, "Mmmhhh.", and led him further in to her house. She looked back to see if he was following her and he was, except he was clutching his cheek for dear life. His cheek. She had totally forgotten.

"Peeta. Oh, Jesus, I'm sorry. God, I forgot. Let me see." She tried to move Peeta's hand but he refused.

"Katniss, stop. I don't need help. I'm fine. Let's just start the project." He took a few steps, then backtracked until he was standing too close to Katniss for her liking and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tilted his head and whispered, "You're going to lose this bet if you don't try harder, Everdeen."

"Are we seriously back to Everdeen?" Peeta pulled back the slightest and then until he was at least a good five feet away, his back facing her and said, "Until you can convince me otherwise, Everdeen." He looked smugly over his shoulder and asked, "Where exactly are we working?"

"Uh, give me a minute. Just take the laptop from by bed. First door on your right, and then sit on the couch. Ok?"

"Bossy, much? Whatever, just hurry up. Seems like your making me do this trash by myself." He muttered under his breath, but Katniss heard him and simply rolled her eyes at him. Before he could question her further, she ran to the kitchen cupboard where her mother used to keep medicine, and pulled out a bottle and some cotton. Then, she headed back for the couch in the living room and ran smack into Peeta. The bottle dropped to the floor and Katniss bent down to pick it up and Peeta just looked down at her in confusion.

"Katniss, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought we were doing history, not chemistry?"

"Peeta, don't play dumb, they're for your cheek. Now, hold still…" Peeta jumped up from his spot and backed away.

"No. Don't be nice to me, Katniss. Just stop." He ran to the other side of the couch and raised his eyebrows at her, "Let's not make rash decisions, Katniss. Just put the bottle down and walk away slowly with your hands in the air." He smiled for the first time and Katniss thought, _you're already winning, Katniss. By the end of this week, he'll be the Peeta you know, the Peeta you love. _She smiled back at him and inched her way to him.

"Please, Peeta? It's won't even hurt and the welt could get infected. Just let me do this. Please." She was determined.

"No, Katniss. Can we please start the project? Come on, I should get going soon anyway."

"What if I wrestled you?" She tried a different approach.

"Huh?" Peeta ran his hand through his hair, unknowingly giving her goosebumps.

"You know, like you do in school. Whoever pins the other person wins. If I win, I get to treat your cheek and if you win, we can start the project, no questions asked. Fair?"

"_You_ want to wrestle _me_?" he seemed unsure.

"Yup. Unless, you're afraid of touching a girl?" she taunted him.

"Oh, you're on. Gimme your best, Everdeen." It worked. They walked in a wide circle and Katniss told Peeta, "Uh-uh. You first."

"Sure." He grinned and started towards Katniss, breaking into a steady run, his arms open. Katniss stepped to the side and before Peeta realized that she had moved, Katniss stuck out her foot and Peeta tripped, falling to the floor. Katniss sat on Peeta's back and grinned broadly at him.

"I win." She got off him and felt his strong arms encircle her waist and push her to the floor. Just by this one action, Katniss could tell she was about to win the bet, in records time too. Not the bet where she had promised him healing medicine, though technically she'd already won that, but their first bet. The one that mattered. He had her wrists above her head in a tight hold and his body was perfectly aligned with hers, but not touching. Their breaths were coming out in pants and they found themselves moving closer, heads tilting. Their lips were an inch away and Katniss' brain turned to mush as Peeta leaned in even closer. At the last second, he pulled his head to her ear. Tucked a loose wisp of hair behind it, much like earlier, and whispered, "Gonna have to try harder than that, Everdeen."

"Dammit, Peeta! Get off of me!" he snickered but moved his weight off her and they rested their backs against the front of the couch.

Though Katniss hadn't won the war, she certainly had won a battle.

"I still one that wrestling match, fair and square. You have to let me help you now." She picked up the bottle and moved her hand to faintly brush it with Peeta's bruised cheek.

He closed his eyes but said, "For the record, I let you win, but you can treat me just because this hurts like hell."

She didn't respond, instead she brought the wet cotton to his cheek and felt him jerk his head back with a shout.

"I thought you said it wouldn't hurt!" he looked at her, horrifically, like she had committed the worst crime ever.

Her face was stone as she said, "I lied.", and brought the cotton to his face with one hand and cupped his other cheek with her other hand. She could visibly see Peeta clench his jaw and she rubbed her thumb in circles around his cheek. He relaxed, if only a little, and opened his eyes. Though he had told her he didn't have any feelings for her, his eyes begged to differ and Katniss offered the smallest f smiles. Katniss removed the cotton, dipped it in more serum, but paused at his neck. There was a bruise, running from his collar bone to the back of his shoulder. Her hand hovered over it, but she didn't dare touch it.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" he looked down at his shoulder and frowned, "Don't ask, Katniss."

"Can I at least put some of this stuff on that too?" her voice was shaky.

"No. I agreed to the one on my cheek only."

"Peeta, let me see. I'm only trying to help."

"That's the thing, Katniss! I don't need your help! Stop treating me like some sort of sick, handicapped baby! Alright?" he stood up, snatched his book bag and slammed the door.

"What about the project…", but he was already gone and out the door, heading back to bakery.

END OF CHAPTER TWO: In Which A Challenge Is Accepted


	3. AUTHOR'S NOTE

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey, everybody! I won't be updating for about four weeks...don't kill me yet! The reasoning behind it is, one, my English teacher had been convicted with illegally touching a former student and has been arrested here in New York City. Yeah, it was CRAZY. I cannot even put into words about how shocked, baffled, confused, and scared I'm feeling. Well, SCARED because I'm in seventh grade and my state tests are in less than a week and I literally have no English teacher...PROBLEMO! Which leads to my second reason being I'm must study extra hard for the exams; they count for our high school applications! About the teacher, (he/she) was my English teacher, as I have mentioned, and no one wants to believe (he/she) did it, I personally don't. I love my teachers, all of them, and this teacher was very close to all (his/her) classes and it's a shame that (he/she) had to be taken from us. We all hope the best for (him/her) and (his/her) family.

Love you guys,

Sweetvolcano


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey, everyone! Okay, so I realized that four weeks was a crazy-long time and decided to give you guys one more chapter before, I guess you could say "retire" for another two weeks. Don't worry, they'll be over before you know it! Trust me, if anyone, I should be anxious because I know what to write, but can't because I have no time...bummer. On a more positive note, my state tests are this week so I can finally get them OVER AND DONE with! Wish me luck! Or it you believe in that whole "break a leg thing" wish that I break a leg? I don't know, I'm still trying to figure it out. Without further ado...**

BEST FRENEMIES: chapter three (In Which Apologies Are Offered)

After Peeta had left, Katniss put the medicine bottle away and Prim cam bursting through the door, heaving her overweight book bag, her cheeks pink. She'd been at school volunteering for her musical theater program…just like every Thursday. Prim was the complete opposite of Katniss. Prim liked white, laced dresses and Katniss fancied anything dark and plain. Katniss liked reading and Prim preferred to write. In a way, their differences benefitted them. Like when Katniss would go for the occasional shopping spree during the beginning of the year, she would simply pick dresses that she hated and Prim would love them. Problem solved.

Prim threw her arms around Katniss' waist and grinned into the fabric of her shirt. Katniss placed a hand on top of Prim's blonde locks and kissed them tenderly. Prim looked up at Katniss with curiosity in her bright blue eyes and said, "Hey, Katniss? I saw the youngest Mellark boy on the way home and he stopped me." She paused and Katniss' eyes widened.

"Prim, what did Peeta tell you?" her voice was stern and Prim bit back a laugh.

"Oh, so _that's_ his name? He didn't really say much, just smiled and gave me this." Prim opened up her hand and inside laid a cookie. It was still hot, judging by the redness of Prim's hand, and iced beautifully with an Evening Primrose on top; the kind Prim was named after. Katniss, on the other hand, was named after a revolting plant that made its home at the bottom of a mucky lake. How convenient.

Katniss gasped, "He gave you that? Did-did he say anything about me? You know, by any chance?"

Prim released Katniss and giggled, "Does Katniss have a crush? On a Mellark boy? Finally!" she looked up at Katniss and ran down the hallway, leading to her bed.

"Prim! What do you mean, finally? Prim!" Katniss followed Prim who lay flat on her stomach, gazing at the cookie.

"I _mean_ finally! Finally, you like a boy. Not that I've never known, but it's nice that you admit it now."

"What-what are you talking about? I, most certainly, did NOT admit my feelings for Peeta! You have no-" Katniss stopped and covered her face, realizing that she had been tricked _into_ voicing her crush.

"Don't worry Katniss. I'm sure he likes you too. I mean, why would he give you this for no reason?" she glanced at the cookie.

"So, this was for me?"

"Well, he didn't exactly put it that way, but that's most likely what he meant." Katniss groaned, permanently scratching out the thought that Peeta could ever like her.

"Whatever, Prim…let's just forget about it, okay?"

"Oh, I'm sure _I'll_ forget…but really? Will _you_?" Katniss picked up one of Prim's pillows and threw it at her face, and effectively too.

Prim laughed and stuck out her tongue. Katniss never really thought about the resemblance between Prim and their mother, but now that she did…it was difficult to ignore. Prim was a spitting image of their mom; her satiny light waves, pale skin, no freckles, and light blue eyes did nothing but remind Katniss of a woman who once played a role in their lives. Once. Not now. Now…they barley saw their mother and Katniss liked it that way. Their mom wouldn't say anything to them anyway. She would simply come home, probably sit on the couch and if they were lucky…smile at Prim. Not Katniss. Never Katniss. Katniss would only remind their father. Their father who had abandoned them.

Prim waved her hand in front of Katniss' eyes, breaking her train of thought.

"Hello? Earth to Katniss? Commander Prim calling…" Prim sat Indian style on her bed, looking at Katniss, apparently waiting for something.

"Sorry-what?" Katniss couldn't have guessed what Prim had said if her life depended on it. She just couldn't do the whole twenty-questions game…it drove her insane. Who would have somebody continuously ask a person what they were feeling or thinking about…it sounded like that person were either really desperate or sexually frustrated; probably both, Katniss decided.

"I said, can I eat the cookie or do you want me to save it?"

"Save it…you'll thank me tomorrow"

"But it's looking at me all seductive-like! I can practically hear it saying, Come Prim…come to me." Katniss cocked a brow at Prim.

"What! It's true! Just look!"

"No way."

"Just once."

"Prim."

"Try licking you lips and picture the creamy icing-"

"Prim!"

"What?"

"Cut it out!"

"Geez! Loosen up Katniss, Peeta would probably like you if you weren't so uptight all time!"

She crossed a line and she knew it. Katniss' lips tightened into a line and she stormed out of the room, leaving Prim; her arm outstretched and mouth agape. Katniss slammed the door to her room and sank to the floor beside her bed. Her room wasn't anything special. Next to her bed sat a dresser with a pile of clutter; homework assignments that were never done, hair bands, pencils and on top of which sat Buttercup. The wretched cat purred and licked its paw. The thing was disgusting in Katniss' opinion. It had full patches of hair missing, one of its legs had been cut off in some accident and its left ear was crooked. However, Prim worshiped the very ground it sat on, claiming it was a beautiful pet and begged Katniss until she let her keep it.

Just as Katniss was about to pull herself together and apologize to Prim, she heard a knock at the door. Katniss and Prim both made it to the door, but Prim was the one to open it. There stood Peeta, his eyes determined, hair a mess, and book bag slung over his shoulder. He rubbed his arm self-consciously and met Katniss' eyes when he said, "Can I talk to you?" He glanced down at Prim and added, "Alone?"

"Yeah. Sure." Katniss gave Prim a pointed look, silently telling her to behave and Prim flashed her a winning smile.

Katniss followed Peeta outside and he turned around. Katniss simply crossed her arms and waited for an explanation.

"Hey." He started.

"Hi." She replied in the same tone.

"You're not gonna make this easy on me, are you?"

"Nope."

He realized he was going to have to fix this and said, "Can we talk in the meadow?"

"Why not here? Is it too hard to be surrounded by poverty?" she wanted to make him feel just as uncomfortable as he made her feel when he decided to lash out on her unexpectedly and leave.

"Katniss." He sighed, "I-why can't you just forget that. No. This isn't coming out right."

"Try this." She was going to help him if it killed her, "Say, Katniss…"

When Peeta stared blankly at her, she remarked, "You got a better idea, Mellark?" He shook his head and Katniss continued, "Say, Katniss, I'm sorry for yelling…" Peeta would've agreed to anything right about now so he simply said everything she did without complaint.

"Katniss, I'm sorry for yelling." He copied.

"And I won't do it again." She kept going.

"And I won't do it again." He restated.

"I'm sorry for leaving without properly saying goodbye…" she wasn't done yet.

"I'm sorry for leaving without properly saying goodbye-Katniss is this really-" he was starting to get pissed.

"Ssh! And I'm sorry for being a douchebag to you all these years after kindergarten."

"Katniss…" he started at her with sorrow reflecting in his baby blue eyes, "I'm-sorry for being a douchebag to you all these years." He looked at the ground.

"And I'm sorry-" Katniss was about to resume the list of things he should be sorry about, but he cut her off, "Don't push it!" She bit back a smile said, "Why don't we go to the meadow now?"

He offered one back and nodded his head. Their walk to the meadow was filled with silence, a good silence. Not awkward. Just silence where nothing is needed to be said, nothing to be heard…silence. They got to the meadow and Peeta plopped down on a patch of daisies.

"You know you probably killed about a dozen flowers with your butt, just now?" there was a tense feel in the air and Katniss tried to shake it away.

"And you probably killed a thousand grass weeds walking here." He carried on the playful fit effortlessly.

"Point taken." She sat next to him and he twirled a dandelion between his forefinger and thumb. The fuzzy cotton structures floated off into the air and Katniss took it in her own hand,

"You gave me a dandelion once."

"Katniss."

"It was in first grade. We were all at recess and I was sitting over there, by the fence" she pointed to the restricting boundary and continued, "I don't remember what _I _was wearing, but you had on sky blue cotton t-shirt. I didn't like it because it was a different shade from your eyes and overpowered their beauty. You also wore a pair of khakis, those I did like because they brought _out_ your eyes, instead of concealed them, and a pair of loafers. Your hair was uncut and bounced when you walked…it still does. Then, you saw me sitting by myself and came over. I didn't know what to say and I don't think you did either so we sat without talking. It was comfortable. When the bell rang, the teacher, Miss Nan, started to gather the student and you picked me a dandelion right before she ushered me into the building. It was by far, the best gift I've ever gotten." Katniss took a deep breath and hesitated before gazing up at Peeta.

"I-" Peeta sighed and met Katniss' eyes. He leaned in brought his thumb to her cheek and watched as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Why are you doing this to me? I was fine before this…before you." Katniss pulled back and said, "What do you mean? That I'm a mistake?"

"No! No. you're NOT a mistake, okay? It's just-everything fit before I met you. Now, nothing seems right…like I'm living in a dream."

"So now I'm fake?"

"No! Stop making me sound like the bad guy! I don't know why everything's not coming out like it supposed to." He pinched the bridge of his nose and took her hands in his, "You-I'm usually good with words, but not around you. You make me feel like…like I'm less of a jerk. Like I'm actually worth something. That I'm not useless. You make me want to be a better person, Katniss. My life is literally me fallen into one of my nightmares and you-you help me escape. I-it's freakin' scary, Katniss. That's all, okay? You're NOT fake. You're NOT a mistake. You're so much more…"

Now, surrounded by the peace the meadow offered, the beauty it shared, and the comfort it provided, Katniss knew the time was right, and so did Peeta. They both leaned in…as one. Their lips were a breath away. Her eyes closed, savoring the moment, his open, capturing every detail. Her hands hovering by his cheeks but not touching them, his palms flat on the ground, supporting his weight. Katniss tilted her head and so did Peeta, just enough so that their noses touched and Peeta admitted, "How many cheese buns?"

Startled, Katniss pulled back and furrowed her brow, "What?"

"How many cheese buns…you won the bet. Katniss…if you ever tell anyone I said this, I'll probably lie and tell them otherwise but; you've changed me. You always have. I just tried to cover it up these past few years. Remember when we were in grade school and I used to be-different? Different than I am now?" she nodded, "That's the Peeta I've always been around you. I can't help myself. Surrounded by people like Cato just disguised who I really was, and I'm so sorry Kat. I'm so, so, sorry I've let myself treat you, or anyone the way I did the way I did. Can-can you, maybe…"

"Forgive you?" she helped him out and he nodded through the tears which were streaming down his face steadily. She brought her hands to cup his cheeks, brushed away the tears with the pads of her thumbs and pressed her forehead to his, "I don't know…it's going to take a lot of cheese buns."

He choked out laughter and replied, "How many ever it takes."

END OF CHAPTER THREE: In Which Apologies Are Offered


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey, guys! Thank you all so much for reviewing and supporting my fanfic...it means a lot! So, my State Tests finally are over...for those of you students or even adult readers who might know about the Common Core Standards...yeah Common Core people, I think I'm not too crazy when I say, YOU NEEDS TO SLAP YOURSELF! I mean, what is your goal? Why are you purposefully making these tests harder so that students like me receive a low score and don't get into the high school that they want? My parents are dead set on sending me to Townsend Harris, like my sister, and their motto is literally, "You no get 100%, you no come home." So, Common Core people on behalf of poor souls like me; take an aspirin and calm yourself before I freak out! Kay, thanks :)**

BEST FRENEMIES: chapter 4 (In Which Prim Is Annoying)

"Sooooo...now what?" His admission to losing the bet was cute and all, but Katniss still had no idea where she stood in Peeta's life. Did this trip to the meadow slow them down? Maybe she was moving too fast...her head started to ache, and thankfully Peeta replied before she could do any further damage to her brain,

"Um, Katniss?" he was looking at her with such intensity that Katniss was afraid to turn away, but at the same time his gaze was deliciously captivating and she found herself looking back at him with equal force and passion.

"Yes?" A million possibilities ran trough Katniss' head: Katniss, be my girlfriend, I love you, Katniss, Don't leave me, Kat. She'd gotten chills up her spine when he had called her that and she absolutely loved it. But, Peeta roughly wiped the stray tears with the back of his hand and smiled,

"You've got a dandelion seed in your hair..." he whispered as he slowly, as if collecting a wounded animal, reached out his arm and brushed the fuzz off her hair. He held his breath and waited for Katniss to respond.

"Peeta, what does this mean?" her eyes were troubled as they met his.

"It means..." a slow grin spread onto his pale face, "we're sorta...a thing...like-maybe...you know..." Katniss covered her mouth with her hand, "No, actually I don't know, why don't you enlighten me?"

"You're going to be the death of me...it means that...it means I owe you a lot of cheese buns, damnit!" he combed his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Peeta?" she stifled her laughter.

"Hmm..." he was not looking at her, but her shoes.

"Why you don't you forget about the cheese buns and start with that kiss which you so ungratefully interrupted?" she took his cheeks into her hands and her lips awaited his.

"Katniss, are you sure? I mean I don't want to push you or anything...and we just started talking to each other without completely ripping each other's heads off. And seriously-" he was rambling and Katniss found it extremely attractive, now Peeta could literally yawn and she would probably get turned on.

"Absolutely, positively, 100%, sure, " Katniss cut him off and bit her bottom lip and stared into his crystal blue eyes.

He put his hand on top of hers, entwined them together and dipped his head towards hers. Their lips met. Katniss gasped into the kiss and Peeta moaned at the same time. Their kiss was beautiful; unlike any other...it was fearless.

Peeta wanted to freeze this moment and live in it forever; he never wanted it to end. He wanted to memorize the feel of her lips against his; so soft and pliable. The rebel wisps of hair that escaped her braid and tickled his chin. He wanted to remember the warmth of her blush, the heat it brought. He grasped the back of her neck and pulled her closer.

Katniss smiled into their kiss and realized that maybe, just maybe, this would work. She loved the way he held her, touched her, kissed her. It was perfect and she never wanted it to end. Katniss opened her eyes and felt the moment slipping like grains of sand washing away, disappearing into the sea. Just like the way her sliver orbs were so entranced deep within his baby blue eyes.

She was wonderstruck and paused to collect her thoughts as he pulled back. She could see his dirty blonde hair seem light brown from the glare of the night sky. Another reminder that someday even the sun will set in paradise and hoped that he would be there alongside her to see it.

"Why don't we head back and then celebrate with you sister? I think she'll want to know about us." Peeta brushed himself off, stood up and offered Katniss his hand. He said 'us,' Katniss thought, controlling her excitement.

She smiled, concealing the hope that was threatening to consume her, "God, no. Did you even consider the questions I'll be getting? I'll never live it down, Peeta! No way am I going to let you tell her." Katniss crosses her arms in a mock pout. Peeta just laughed, and tugged Katniss's arm free, capturing her, and holding her to his chest. She felt his chest rumble beneath her and placed a hand on his heart. She felt the steady rhythm under her palm and closed her eyes.

His laughter abruptly stopped as he took her hand and placed a kiss to the back of it, grinning like an idiot. But he didn't care. Not in the least.

Back at Katniss's house they stopped at the front door and a sobering thought passed through Katniss's head.

"Peeta, your mum-" Katniss started to panic, but Peeta cut her off, "Don't worry about her. She's not leading my life, I am. Alright? I'm not gonna let her lay a finger on me anymore," and he whispered the last part, "thanks to you." Katniss pursed her lips but nodded anyway, knowing that Peeta could be as stubborn as her if she provoked him.

"Hey, look at me." Katniss heard Peeta's voice get low and smooth and it scared the living devils out of her. Nevertheless, she gazed up into his blue irises and they were filled with love and adoration. Her face softened immediately, "I just want don't want to see you getting hurt, that's all…"

Peeta put his hands on her shoulders gently and said, "Katniss, I can take care of myself, you know." She simply raised her eyebrows at him, instantly reminded of the day he showed up with a bruise on his neck, the way the purple, blue blob swelled with nasty puss coming out of it.

"Imma big boy, remember?" he continued, relieving the tension that hung in the air as the corners of Katniss's mouth twitched upwards into a slow smirk and she said, "Sure, Peeta. Something like that."

The streetlights flicked for a few seconds then gleamed bright, indicating that it was extremely late.

Peeta licked his lips and brought his head down towards hers. The kiss quickly grew heated and Katniss retreated, not wanted to push too far. Peeta clenched his jaw and said, "Sorry, had to do that, just once more."

A sharp knock on the window interrupted Katniss's response and they saw Prim's face on the other side of the glass with a mischievous grin on her face. Katniss groaned, knowing she's seen it all. Prim ran outside to her big sister and future brother, "Soooooo, where have you guys been? Making out in the meadow?" Prim taunted Katniss, hands on her hips.

"That's actually-" Peeta almost admitted to the truth before Katniss shoved her elbow into his stomach. Peeta stifled his laughter and cocked one brow at her.

"What? It _was_ what we-" another elbow in the gut was all it took for Peeta and Prim to burst into giggles with Katniss fuming, red, hot and on fire as she tried to fix the situation.

"Primrose! I…we…I'd never-! We were NOT _making out_!" Katniss stumbled over her words and Peeta and Prim just laughed harder.

"Okay, sis. Whatever you say…" Prim high-fived Peeta then went back inside making kissing sounds all the way.

Katniss glanced at Peeta with a flustered look but he was still trying to contain his amusement behind his hands. When he finally looked up and saw the serious expression on her face he stepped closer, "Aw, come on Katniss. Loosen up, we were just kidding." She turned away from him.

He put a hand on her waist but pulled away when she gave him her death glare and he winced.

"Hey, seriously, Kat. We were just kidding, no harm done! Have some fun. It won't hurt you!" he just didn't get it.

She turned around with tears in her eyes, "No harm done! No harm done? She's going to want to have a boyfriend now, Peeta. She won't listen to me when I tell her it's not worth it."

"And that's a bad thing how?" Peeta didn't understand why she was so guarded.

"Do you know why my mom is a useless piece of skin and bone? Do you have any idea?" Peeta thought it would be best not to answer that one.

"My father left us, Peeta! She thought my father loved her with all his heart, but he didn't. That's why I came off shy, and timid or whatever the hell I was!" she took a breath and continued, "That's why I don't believe in love. You just end up hurting in the end." She looked down at her dirty, untied shoelaces.

Peeta pushed her chin up with his knuckle, forcing her to look at him. "I'm sorry, Katniss. I'm so sorry that your dad left. If there was anything I could do to take the pain away I would, but don't you think there are good people in the world too?"

"I thought my dad was good." Katniss whispered.

"Sometimes things don't always go the way you want them to and it does hurt, mentally and physically," he pointed to the fading bruise on his collar bone, "Trust me, I would know. But you got to learn to open up and set yourself free. You'll be happier and so will Prim. Don't you want her to be happy when she grows up?"

"Yes…but-"

"No buts, Katniss. Prim is old enough to know what's good and bad, you raised her, taught her. She knows, okay? There's nothing to be afraid of. Plus, I'm pretty sure you'd shoot the person in the eye with your bow if Prim ever brought home a boy…"

"Oh, I know I would." Katniss intercepted.

"But that's not the point."

"Then what _is_ the point, Peeta?"

"The point is…you're the most stubborn girl I've ever met. Prim knows what to do with her life, Kat! She doesn't need you to tell her every five seconds what to do and what not to do." His eyes bore into her as if asking for a response.

"Fine." Katniss replied wryly.

"Fine, what?" he persisted.

"I won't tell her what to do anymore." Peeta smiled nervously before encircling his arms around Katniss's waist and sighed into her hair when she did the same to him.

"Peeta? I-" Katniss cut herself off, deciding it was too early for something as big as that statement.

"Katniss, hurry. I gotta get home." He stood back and waited.

"Just-sleep tight Peeta." she smiled, "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

He kissed her on the cheek and whispered into her ear, "I won't."

END OF CHAPTER FOUR: In Which Prim Is Annoying


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